Possibilities! The Hudson comes to the Peace

Title: “Possibilities! The Hudson comes to the Peace” (“River” that is)Primary Area Served: From Sarasota/Bradenton to Naples/Marco Island and inland (Everyone is welcome)Date: Saturday, April 13, 2019 — 7:00 AM until 8:00 PMTheme: Writing’s possibilities!Areas included: Books (fiction & non-fiction), Magazines, Newspapers, TV/radio, & Electronic media.Location: Charlotte County Cultural Center, Port CharlotteProgram: One jam-packed day of writing possibilities featuring 70 individual classes, discussion panels, and a special keynote speaker.One to One Sessions: A special opportunity! – Have your writing reviewed or pitch your work to a publishing professional … including 16 agents and editors from NYC. Submit your sample/pitch in advance and spend 20 minutes with someone who may aid you in your writing career.Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the registration fee.

Spare yourself the expense of a major trip. Attend a high quality event that brings quality presenters and publishing professionals to Southwest Florida. The conference is centrally located … a two hour drive for anyone in the primary service area. Reasonable hotel accommodations are available with blocks of rooms reserved. Conference registration is limited!

Save the date!

Each year, FAPA holds the FAPA Annual Conference, the premier educational and networking event for authors and publishers in Florida. The 2019 FAPA Annual Conference will be held on August 2 and 3, 2019 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. The FAPA President’s Book Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday evening, August 3, 2019, after the conference.

The 2018 FAPA Annual Conference was held on August 3rd and 4th, 2018 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. This exciting networking and educational event offered two days of sessions with a focus on The Business of Publishing. Industry leaders, including Charles Todd, Lisa Black, Angela Bole, and Dianna Collier, shared their expertise and a variety of tools needed to flourish in this evolving publishing environment. For the first time, the conference featured a pre-conference workshop and an onsite bookstore where FAPA members and book award medalists could sell their books.

Save the dates on your calendar for these great opportunities in 2019 to learn, network, and grow your business.

Poetry Night at the Library

North Port Poetry Workshop proudly presents our annual autumnal Open Mic event. Set up & sign up at 5:30 pm. Tree and Leaf Poems displayed and presented by the members of the NPPW. All other rounds are open. Snacks & beverages served.

There will be room for authors to choose between a long, 4ft table or a square card table, depending on how many books you have. This will be in the large room. All set-up is done for us. Just bring your props and books.

Every Sunday WKDW 97.5 FM nonprofit radio invites writers of all levels to READ their poem, story, or screen play on its weekly program, “Writers on the Air.” (3 to 5 minutes is suggested). We’re looking for funny and family-friendly content. Sign-up is 2:30. Our show airs live on Sunday at 3:00. Worldwide viewers can hear the show on the Internet. (info@KDWradio.com)

After the show, and time-permitting, a visitor who reads may be eligible for a three-minute author interview that is posted on the Facebook page for “Writers on the Air”.

Join us at Common Grounds Meeting Hall, 12735 US-41, North Port and relax in our family-friendly BYOB Listening Room, which offers snacks and comfortable seating. Find us next door to WKDW 97.5 FM radio station, which is in the Springs Plaza just south of Caddy Carts if heading south from Venice. The public is WELCOME. Readers need not be published.

For more details, contact Linda Schell, Lschell2@verizon.net, 941-223-1262. For cancellations due to weather or holidays, visit our FACEBOOK PAGE: “Writers on the Air.”

The 8th annual Venice Book Fair and Writers Festival takes place March 16 in Blalock Park from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tents will be assigned as they are reserved. The ﬁrst deadline for tents is Nov.1, 2018.

Each 10-foot x 10-foot tent may be used by one or two authors, at $150. After Feb. 1, 2019 the cost goes to $175, if tents are still available. Between Nov. 1 and Feb. 1, tents may be reserved for $150 if any are left. Most authors will want to reserve a tent by Nov. 1 to ensure they have a place at the book fair. Each tent will include an 8-foot table and two folding chairs. Authors must pro- vide their own table covers and booth identiﬁcation signs. As in the past, we plan to have the students available to help get books to and from tents.

The Writers Festival takes place Friday, March 15 at the new Venice Public Library, 300 S. Nokomis Ave. Proceeds from the fair go to Venice Heritage Inc., the 501(C )3 fundraising organization that supports the extension of the Venice Museum and Archives and the restoration of the oldest existing house in Venice, the Lord-Higel family pioneer home.

WORDS with Wine:A Creative Weirdos Poetry Gathering is hosted by Jamilla D. Brooks and Patti Brassard Jefferson at P.J. Boox. Our first event is Wednesday, June 27 at 6 pm – 9 pm. Cover is $5 and if you are sharing your WORDS then your cover is waived! Check us out on Eventbrite and Facebook: https://wordswithwinepoetry.eventbrite.com/.

About:
We are a TRIBE of creatives, so if you have been seeking a place to express yourself… look no further… you have found it!
WORDS with Wine encourages you to: Be Yourself! Express Yourself! Use your WORDS wisely!

Writers Helpng Writers (previously Writers Read) is a group for local writers that meet at the Punta Gorda Library on West Henry Street on the first Tuesday of each month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The authors attending the meeting may provide several copies of their work in progress to be reviewed for feedback. Depending on the number of attendees, each writer has a ten-minute slot to read their story/poem followed by a five-minute discussion period. This group gives a writer the opportunity to read their work aloud. We gather to help each other improve our work.

Several of us are self-published and can give tips on going that route. Some are published by a small press. We are happy to share our experiences.

All writers are invited to participate no matter what level. Doesn’t matter if youre simply thinking about writing and want to attend to get a feel for what transpires at a meeting. Those of us who have been attending for years are happy to share our experiences and encourage others not to give up.

Thanks to the Charlotte Arts and the county library there is no charge for attending the meeting and you don’t have to be a member of anything. You just have to want to write something.

So if you have been or are now thinking of writing, dont be bashful, come join us the first Tuesday of any month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. We want to hear your story.
Paul Holmes (pgholmes@comcast.net)

The NewPages Big List of Writing Conferences and Events features writing conferences, book and literary festivals, writing workshops and retreats, residencies and centers from the U.S., Canada, International, and online. A little something for everyone.